CloudAve readers know I am a fan of edgy marketing. Now it’s time to update my recently compiled inventory of software marketing pranks. A major show like Salesforce.com’s DreamForce would not even be real without some guerilla marketing activity – except the players seemed to have traded places this year. Guerilla Marketing is normally David’s weapon, but this year Goliath – Holy Microsoft – came down to us earthlings running around on Segways handing out MS Dynamics CRM discount coupons:
Image credit: Centernetworks
I did not get Forced
(On a side-note,. the “Forced” play was not that orginal….) Now, one has to have balls to apply Guerilla Marketing against the Grand Master of such art – Marc Benioff, who could simply not ignore such a softball served up to him. Defying all rumors that his stage appearances are set in stone to the miniscule detail long in advance, he hired the actor on the Microsoft ad, presented him live on stage and turned his keynote into a major Microsoft parody – all in one day (well, sort of). Watch the video below:
The relevant part starts at 6:30, but the entire video is worth watching.
Zoli,
I was sitting in the audience watching this bit of guerrilla theater play out, gleefully smiling at the turn of tables when “Bernard” walked on the stage to be “unforced” it was a terrific bit of parody and showed how ineffective MS messaging was. Most of the Dreamforcers walking by the Segway riders were in fact being incredibly nice and pleasant to those poor guys who had no idea of the real Force that brought all of us to Dreamforce. This little parody will soon be forgotten but it demonstrated beyond doubt Marc Benioff’s ability to trip up even the biggest players in the CRM space smoothly and effectively. MS never saw this coming and I loved it.